Coppers

'Coppers', comprising interviews with, and behind the scenes footage of, a number of ordinary police officers is a fascinating and entertaining documentary series, albeit one that will confirm, rather than challenge, your prejudices. We see how different sorts of police all resemble (in some way) the people they're policing - the traffic cops are petrol-heads, the riot squad like a ruck, and so on. But one also sees the astonishing number of idiots the police have to deal with - drunken, drug-addicted or just plain stupid, the quantity of people arrested for swearing repeatedly at the police having been told explicitly that if they do so again, arrest is exactly what will happen, is mind boggling. In the main, the series reassures - mostly, the police don't come across as monsters, although the final episode (about the policing of fascist/ant-fascist protests) leaves one thinking that something is wrong on all sides, the law included. Overall, a must-watch programme, and (mostly) a reminder of what a difficult job being a copper must be.

This is another prime example of the British doing it better. The Americans have Cops, my home country has several ripoffs but no country can top this. Raw policing. It isn't all teary eyed "Of Duty and Service" that you usually see, it's just normal people in uniform here for our benefit. The criminals aren't murders, they're idiots who got drunk and mostly in for something related to drugs, which seems to be a common theme these days. Hysterical at times, tragic in others, grippingly real the whole time. The little look of a cop sighing as a woman is arrested for over the 50th time is heart wrenchingly sad and makes you consider what a tough job it must be, this show gives a fantastic insight into policing.

I have seen only one episode so far. Since it's on YouTube, more are available and I do intend to watch more, but the one I DID see was spectacular. It centered on a pair of demonstrations and how the Greater Manchester Police handled the two. Very well done, showing the work being done during the demonstrations, police officers comments as well as comments from the differing groups. As I saw it, the only rational, I mean TRULY rational folks were the police.

But that's beside the point. This show pulled no punches (and showed a few!) and told the story straight on truthfully. Very human.

If you like "Cops" in the US, check out "COPPERS" from the UK. Great TV and I look forward to watching a few more episodes.

P.S., God Bless the Constables of the UK and keep them Safe.